Rivalry To Love
by Cladixe
Summary: Two kingdoms competing for the stone of life. Two person holds the power to open the barrier. What if they met by destiny? Hatred turns into Love. Will fate let them be seperated again? Will all the chaos seperate the true love? [ET] [lil SS]
1. 1

RIVALRY TO LOVE

**RIVALRY TO LOVE**

_An E/T AU fanfiction_

_SUMMARY:_

_Two kingdoms were competing for the stone of life, a power stone that can make a person invincible, powerful and immortal. Only two people have the key to open the barrier surrounding the stone. Both two people meet by destiny. But would fate separate the two? ET_

_Prologue:_

Alluvia is a kingdom with an abundant ammunition and weapon resources. Under the watchful eyes of Prince Eriol, a nineteen-year old gentleman who claimed the throne of ruling the kingdom after his parents' death, the kingdom became a war-prepared place. Since Prince Eriol focused on bringing Izlude down, crime rate was so high in that place. People know how to use ammunitions or weapons just to defend themselves. The place was dark and gloomy because of the smoke from different chimneys and industrial plants.

Izlude, another kingdom, is under Queen Sonomi's hands. Queen Sonomi's plan is to defend the kingdom from outrageous attacks from Alluvia. While Alluvia depends on ammunitions and weapons, Izlude relies on magic. This kingdom is a peaceful and blissful place.

A straight called "Straight of Lies" separated these two kingdoms.

The rivalry between these two kingdoms was hundred years ago up to present. Nobody knows how this rivalry started. No kingdom wants to accept that they are inferior to the other. War always happen between the two kingdoms.

_**Chapter One: Different Personalities **_

In the palace garden, a woman was sitting on a wooden swing tied on a tree by a rope. She was looking at the bluish sky while singing. She has a black long wavy hair and a pair of magnificent amethyst eyes.

"I really admire you, Princess."

The woman heard a sudden voice. She looked at the direction where the voice came and saw another woman, sitting at the tree branch few meters from her. She has a short hazelnut hair and a pair of green eyes.

The princess smiled and suddenly asked, "Why would you admire me?"

"Because you're not only beautiful but also kind, intelligent and talented." The woman answered straightforwardly.

The princess laughed softly.

"C'mon, Princess Tomoyo! You know that I'm not joking around." The woman added.

"Let me tell you once more that I'm not perfect." Princess Tomoyo said. "And you're also beautiful. And Sakura, what did I tell you about wearing that dress?"

The princess noticed that Sakura was wearing that maid dress again.

"Lady Resha will scold me again once she saw that I'm not wearing my uniform."

"Then I'll tell Resha that I allowed you to wear decent clothes. A much better dress than that." She smiled.

"Oh no! Please don't do that, Princess." Sakura said nervously. "She'll kill me if she knew that I told you those things."

"I see." She answered. "I promise, we'll do something about that."

Sakura was telling truth. Princess Tomoyo was beautiful, kind, intelligent and gifted person. It's as if she have everything. Princess Tomoyo or Tomoyo was a very cheerful person, with a taste for everything. Sakura was hired to be her personal maid. Sure, Sakura was very lucky to have the princess as her master who does not treated her as a maid. Instead, she treated her like a sister since the princess is the only child of Queen Sonomi.

"Now tell me, why would you admire me?" Tomoyo asked Sakura again. "There's nothing extraordinary about me."

"I admire how kind you are. Ever since we are kids, you always treat me well. Other maids said that I'm lucky since they were treated unfairly by their royal masters." Sakura answered with a bright smile.

"Well, I don't want to treat others unfairly because in the eyes of God, everyone is equal." The princess answered as she jumped from the swing despite wearing a long silky gown.

"C'mon. Let's go!" Tomoyo energetically said as she hurriedly went inside.

--

At the royal throne of Alluvia, the prince was bored, sitting all day while listening to complains of his people. Standing beside him is his bestfriend, Hikku, a young adviser of his court.

In front of the prince were a rich fat woman, wearing a gown and assorted jewelries with big stones and an old woman wearing tattered clothes, hands chained with metal chains while Alluvian soldiers held her arms.

"Your Highness, she is my slave! She did not only disobey my orders but also robbed my most precious ring." The rich woman shouted angrily as she pointed the old woman and still managed to create a flirty image to the king as if she was seducing him.

Prince Eriol sighed and disgusted because of the rich woman's flirty movements as he listened to the protest of the woman.

"Take care of this, Meilin. I think I need a coffee break." Eriol said to his another advisor as he stood up suddenly and went outside the royal courtroom. Hikku followed him.

"What's with you, huh?" Hikku asked as he followed Eriol to the balcony of the palace.

Eriol remained silent as he sat at the ledge of the balcony.

"I know you are bored of sitting there, listening and giving advice and justice but it is your responsibility. Your responsibility is to make this kingdom a better place." Hikku said as he sat beside the quiet Eriol. "And I know that you are really disgusted on how that rich woman flirts in front of you."

"Hikku, do I really have to marry just to have my father's title?"

"Yes, your highness. In order to become the king, you must marry."

"How's the war with Izlude?" he changed the topic, looking at the far view of the balcony. He could see a faint view of Izlude.

Eriol is a man with a few words and quite a cold-hearted person. You can only hear him speak mostly with his closest people. That only includes Hikku. Also, Eriol is very irresistible to opposite sex and very intelligent. He is great when it comes to war tactics and fighting skills.

"Well, I think we have enough ammunitions and man power." Hikku reported as he looked at the paper he was holding.

"Next plan, try to conquer the heart of the kingdom- the palace." The prince said as he gave a weak smile.

"As you wish, your highness!" Hikku said excitedly.

**To Be Continued…**


	2. 2

RIVALRY TO LOVE

**RIVALRY TO LOVE**

_An E/T AU fanfiction_

_**Chapter Two: Blue Clashes with Red**_

Tomoyo was walking at the hallway when she heard noises coming from the royal courtroom. She peeked at the keyhole and saw her mother, Queen Sonomi, talking to her board of advisors. In their tone, she could say that they were talking about a serious manner.

"I think it would be better if we surrender." One of the advisors suggested.

"No! Izlude will never surrender without fighting till the end." Sonomi objected.

"Your highness, this can't continue. We use magic but it wasn't enough to bring down the whole army." A female adviser said. "We scarcely defended our kingdom from their attack last time."

"We expect a bigger army the next time they attack." Another one added.

"We have two options, surrender without losing many villagers and innocent people or fight and lose people's lives." The oldest-looking adviser said.

"I have made a decision. We will fight but I'm not going to risk everybody here. Prepare all the soldiers and our mages. Warn all the people to evacuate and prepare for a war. This is final. Meeting adjourned." Sonomi finalized as she stood up.

Tomoyo hid as the advisors went outside the courtroom, buzzing about the Queen's decision.

She suddenly approached Syaoran, her youngest advisor. He has a brown hair that matches his auburn eyes. The queen said, "I have a serious task for you."

"What is it your highness?" he asked.

"I fear that we will lose this battle against Alluvia and I want my daughter to be safe because she will be the next ruler of Izlude. And among the advisors, you're the only one who knew that she obtains the power of sun, which means that she is the half of you-know-what-I-mean. Tomorrow, I'm sure that this war with Alluvia will start. I want you to leave this kingdom with Tomoyo and Sakura. Go to Alluvia and disguise as commoners. Just as I know, you have a cousin living at Alluvia and she works as a spy for our kingdom." Sonomi explained.

"But, your highness, how about you?" Syaoran asked.

"I'll stay here and give commands to the soldiers. I will also fight." Sonomi said.

"But-"

Sonomi interrupted, "No buts, Syaoran. I expect that you can do this favor for me."

"I'll obey your command, My Queen." He answered in a dignified way.

She smiled and walked out of the courtroom, leaving Syaoran.

--

"What should I do?" the princess asked as she walked to and fro in her room.

Sakura watched Tomoyo from her seat.

"Don't worry." Sakura answered. "I'm sure that we'll defeat our enemies."

"I really wanted to believe that we will enable to defeat them but judging the last time they attacked us, we scarcely defended our kingdom."

"Don't worry, we must have many ammunitions by now." Sakura said.

"Considering our production of ammunitions to theirs, it's not enough." Tomoyo said as she continued what she was doing. "I'm really worried."

"You must sleep, Princess."

"I can't. I'm not yet sleepy."

"Better sleep, Princess and I shall go." Sakura stood up and bowed down. "Resha is waiting for me at my room."

Tomoyo gave a long sigh and nodded back.

Sakura went out of the room, leaving the princess alone.

The princess did not sleep. She waited to see the dawn and suddenly she heard a boom from afar.

Sakura hurriedly went inside her room without knocking and said, "We must go, Your Highness."

"Why?"

"Please, your highness, we must go."

"Go where?"

"I don't know. Sir Syaoran ordered me to tell you that we're leaving."

"But the war was about to start." Tomoyo said. "We can't just leave them."

"We must leave at once, Your highness." Sakura pleaded as she started packing Tomoyo's things.

"No. We're not going to leave." She ordered. For the first time in her life, she ordered Sakura.

"But, Your Highness."

Suddenly Queen Sonomi entered the princess's room and heard what her daughter said.

"No." Queen Sonomi interrupted. "You're going to leave."

"But mother…" Tomoyo pleaded.

The queen approached her daughter and hugged her tightly.

"You're Izlude's last hope." Queen Sonomi said calmly. "You need to go somewhere safe."

"I don't want to leave." She cried. "I want to stay with you."

"No. Listen, you must leave." Her mother answered. "It will be your responsibility to bring back Izlude in its original state. You're going to fulfill your responsibility as the next ruler of our kingdom."

She cried really hard.

"Now, go." Her mother stopped kissed Tomoyo's forehead. "Syaoran is waiting for the two of you at the dungeon."

The booms and noises became much louder. Sakura closed the suitcase.

"Sakura. Leave that suitcase here." Sonomi ordered. "You'll no longer need that."

"As you wish, your highness." She bowed down and took Tomoyo's hand.

"Mother…" Tomoyo murmured as she looked at her mother.

"Let's go, Princess Tomoyo." Sakura said as she dragged the princess away from the queen.

--

"There you are." Syaoran bowed down as she saw the two girls. "I've been waiting for the two of you."

"Who are you?" the princess asked.

"I am Syaoran Li. One of Queen Sonomi's advisers."

"I see." Tomoyo said. "I am Tomoyo and this is Sakura."

"Nice to meet both of you, your highness. Let's go. We will leave this castle by boat. Once we crossed the straight, we'll reach our destination." Syaoran added as she helped the two get on the boat.

"We're going to Alluvia?" the princess asked.

Syaoran nodded as he pulled the boat towards the water. "Let's go! My cousin is waiting at the forest at another end of the lake."

He started to row the boat away from the shore. Tomoyo looked at the palace for the last time. She saw her mother, looking at her from the balcony.

"Okaa-san." she murmured while tears were falling from her eyes.

Sonomi was looking at her daughter for the last time. She could feel that it is the last time she could see the face of her lovely daughter.

"Tomoyo. Please live for me. Revive Izlude and its power. You possess the half of the key to open the greatest power known to mankind. Remember, I will always be with you forever." she thought as she watched the boat.

She knew that Tomoyo already saw her from the balcony. With a flick of her finger, a red transparent ball came out from his hand. She threw it in the lake and a red transparent barrier spread to the lake.

"It will serve as a protection as you escape." She murmured.

"How are you, Your Majesty?"

She looked back and saw Hikku, Eriol's assistant.

"I've been waiting for you." She answered with a smile.

"So this is the last scene you want to see before you die." He said and in a flick of his hand, a large transparent black ball came out and he aimed it to Sonomi.

"You wish." The queen murmured as she made a barrier to herself but the power of Hikku pass through it, hitting her.

Sonomi fell down instantly as she murmured her last word. "Tomoyo."

"What are you looking anyway from the balcony?" he asked the dead queen as he looked closely at the strait.

"Princess? Escaping, huh? Do you think that they will survive?" he laughed out loud as he recognized Princess Tomoyo and blast another magic orb to them but the barrier, Sonomi made, absorbed the magic orb.

"Tsk! So you risked yourself to have a stronger barrier. But no use! Coz I still can destroy it if I want to!" he made a larger magic ball and threw it at the barrier. The barrier slowly disappeared.

--

"What's happening?" Tomoyo almost stood up as she saw her mother talking with another man.

"It's Hikku! We've got to go faster! He is one of the powerful people existing." Syaoran said as he panicked and started rowing faster. Sakura covered her face with both of her hands.

Tomoyo saw her mother fell down on the ground.

"Mother!" she shouted. She could feel that something happened to her mother. Then the man looked at them and aimed a magic orb at them but the barrier her mother made absorbed it. He blasted a larger and more powerful-looking orb and it hits the barrier. The barrier disappeared slowly.

"See? I could easily wipe out that barrier! Now, prepare to die, Princess of Izlude!" Hikku said coolly as he made another magic orb.

"We are near. We are near. We are near." Syaoran continuously murmured while rowing. Tomoyo noticed that Hikku summoned another magic ball.

She stood up and summoned a red-colored magic orb and it covered their boat.

"If I tell you to jump, jump out of the boat. Sakura, I know that you know how to swim. How about you, Sir Syaoran, do you know how to swim?" she asked.

"I know how to swim. What are you planning?" he answered.

"We will fake our death." She said.

"I don't get it." Syaoran said.

"It will protect the three of us. The boat will be damaged by his orb but not the three of us." Tomoyo explained.

Hikku blasted her magic orb.

As the orb was about to hit them, Tomoyo yelled, "JUMP!"

The three of them jumped in the water. The orb hitted the boat and it exploded. The three swam under the sea since the shore was near.

"I killed them! Wait till Eriol hears this!" he said as he laughed and turned back. He did not notice that Tomoyo and the others were swimming to the shore. He disappeared in the thin air while laughing.

It became dark. They were already at Alluvia. A place where sunlight was covered by smoke and fog.

"Is everyone, alright?" the princess asked as she coughed out some water.

"Well, I'm alright. S-Sakura, Princess, are you two alright?" Syaoran asked.

"Hai!" Sakura answered.

"Good." Tomoyo smiled and fainted.

Both Sakura and Syaoran caught her.

"Well, she's a bit tired. After using her power, it might have drained all the strength she have for today." Syaoran said as he carried the princess.

"We will meet my cousin here." He said as he sat under a tree. Sakura joined her.

"Syaoran!" a voice from the forest called their attention. A woman with a hooded coat came out with a wood lit by fire.

"There you are. Let's go before anyone sees us." She said.

**To Be Continued.**

Top of Form

Bottom of Form


	3. 3

IVALRY TO LOVE

**IVALRY TO LOVE**

_An E/T AU fanfiction_

_**Chapter Three: The Truth of Rivalry**_

The two followed Syaoran's cousin but they stopped at the end of the forest.

"Cover the princess's dress with this." She handed over a black leather cloth to Sakura.

Sakura covered Tomoyo's outfit with the cloth while Syaoran carried the princess.

"Her dress will draw suspicions if we didn't cover it." She said then they continued until they arrived at a well-lit village.

The village was different from Izlude's. It was dark, gloomy and silent although you can see that people in cloaks were busy walking down the street. You can barely smell the aroma of the breads from the bakery because of the strong smell of steels, irons and other metals.

They approached a small but beautiful house beside a closed blacksmith shop.

"This is where I live. Please come in." Syaoran's cousin said as she opened the door and went in. She lit the lamps and opened the window. The once dark place became a well-lit one.

"Please, put her down here." She offered the couch. "And change clothes before you catch cold."

"We don't have any clothes." Sakura answered.

"Don't worry, you can borrow mines. I think, we have the same size." She smiled.

"Arigato um." Sakura thanked but she didn't know her name.

"It's Meilin. Meilin Li." She smiled again as she took some clothes at her small closet and handed it over to Sakura.

"You can change there." She pointed a door that led to a bedroom where she can change her clothes.

"How about me?" Syaoran asked.

"Well, you left some clothes during your vacation but I don't know if they still fit on you." Meilin said as she took some clothes and hand it over to Syaoran.

"You can change upstairs while I change the princess's clothes or she'll catch cold too." She said.

After changing clothes, Meilin transferred Tomoyo to a nice bed to sleep well while Sakura cooked a hot breakfast. Syaoran was looking outside the window while drinking a hot coffee.

--

Meanwhile, at the palace of Alluvia, Prince Eriol was sitting at his throne waiting for the results. Suddenly, Hikku appeared nowhere.

"The Izlude is under our control now, your highness." Hikku reported as he bowed to the prince.

"Where is Queen Sonomi?" Eriol asked.

"I killed her, along with her other supporters who don't want to obey me." Hikku said coolly.

"What?" Eriol's eyes narrowed. " Why did you kill her? Did I tell you to kill her? She is the only person who knows where we could find the person who obtains the power of sun."

Hikku flinched on every word he said.

"And the princess? The future ruler of Izlude?" Eriol asked again.

"I also killed her." Hikku answered again.

Eriol stood up.

"I'm very disappointed with you, Hikku." he said in a low voice as he disappeared in front of Hikku.

--

"Tell me, how did you become a spy?" Sakura asked as she took a bite of her roasted chicken.

"Well, my father is an Alluvian and my mother is an Izludian so I have citizenship in both kingdoms. My mother is a lady and my father is a commoner. My father is a traitor. He worked for Alluvia and used my mother to become a spy to the kingdom. My father left us after Izludian royalties and army found out that he was a traitor. My mother died after the incident, leaving me in care of Aunt Yelan, Syaoran's mother, sister of my mother. Aunt Yelan is one of Queen Sonomi's advisors. Aunt Yelan also favored me to do this since I have a citizenship here. Besides, I found out that my father died a year after he left us." Meilin narrated while Sakura was sipping coffee.

"I see. So you chose Izlude rather than Alluvia." Sakura said. "Why?"

"I do believe in peace and I do believe in Queen Sonomi." She answered. "I do believe in her."

"Really?" Sakura was amazed.

"How about you? Just as I know, you are the personal maid of the princess." Meilin asked.

"Well, it is true. I am the personal maid of the princess. I grew up in an orphanage. At the age of six, the palace caretaker took me as a stable watcher. Then when I was seven, I became Princess Tomoyo's assistant." Sakura introduced herself. "And she treated me like her own sister."

"I see." She smiled.

"Anyway, what are we going to do?" Sakura asked suddenly.

"Oh yes. I know that it would be difficult for Tomoyo but she have to live and disguise like an Alluvian villager." Meilin said with a worried face. "Well, I think we can all live here. I have an extra bedroom but I know that the three of you can't sleep in such a small space. The attic can be another bedroom but we will have to clean it since I put all the junks there."

"What do you do for living?" Sakura asked.

"I'm one of Prince Eriol's advisers." She answered.

Sakura almost choked when she heard the word Prince Eriol.

"You work for him?" Sakura asked again, just to make sure that she heard the right thing.

"Hai! Queen Sonomi said that the more I am closer to Prince Eriol, the more I can spy their plans." she smiled. "Uh-oh! I've got to go. You know, I always go to the palace and see the next move of the royal prince." She said as she looked at the clock. She hurriedly put on her coat and went outside.

"Syaoran, tell me, why did Queen Sonomi planned this thing?" Sakura suddenly asked to Syaoran.

"Queen Sonomi already knew everything - including the fall of Izlude in Alluvia's hands. The comeback of Izlude is in Tomoyo's hands." He continued. "Besides, we hid the truth, the reason why Izlude and Alluvia are rivals 100 years ago."

"You knew the reason?"

"Yes. The monarchy of both kingdoms knew this and decided to hide it from the commoners."

"I see."

"There is an island, named Morroc, near the north of the two kingdoms. There is a legend that came to be true. In that island, there is a big temple. Inside that temple is the stone of life. The stone of life possess a powerful magic. Anyone who gets that stone can do anything. Even immortality. But a strong barrier that no one can break surrounds the stone. There is an inscription written in walls. The inscription sounds like a prophecy. It said that the only thing that can break the barrier is the key of life, which is composed of the powers of sun and moon. Princess Tomoyo possesses the power of sun, which is half of the key. Only the queen and I knew that the princess possess a power more than the Izludian Magic. That's why Princess Tomoyo was forbidden to use her power." Syaoran explained.

"What about the other half of the key?" Sakura asked.

"We didn't know who possesses the other half." Syaoran said.

--

Meilin went inside the palace hurriedly because she heard crashes and bangs. As she was going to the courtroom, which were the noises came, she saw Hikku standing before the door.

"Sir Hikku, what's happening here? I've been hearing plates and everything being broken. Supposedly, we are celebrating, right? Now that we accomplished our plan." She asked to the serious guy.

"I did something real bad. He's really furious about it." Hikku sighed.

"How bad?" Meilin asked again.

"Yes. Izlude fell in our hands but. I killed the Queen, the only person who knew who possesses the half of the key to the barrier of the stone of life." Hikku frowned a bit.

"What? The Queen of Izlude is killed?" Meilin was shocked to what she heard.

He nodded.

"Excuse me, I think I forgot something downstairs at the bathroom." She said hurriedly and went downstairs and started to cry so that Hikku can't see her.

She planned, not to tell Princess since she knew that it will shatter her heart to million pieces.

Eriol was throwing things on the ground.

"I cannot open the barrier alone. I cannot open the barrier without the power of sun." He mumbled. "All the time, I kept to everyone, even to Hikku that I possess the power of moon. And now, my power will be useless." he thought of himself.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	4. 4

RIVALRY TO LOVE

**RIVALRY TO LOVE**

_**Chapter Four: A New Life Begins **_

Tomoyo awakened as the sunray hit her beautiful face. She sat down slowly on the bed.

"Where am I?" she murmured. She looked at herself on the mirror in front of her. She was wearing villager's clothes and her hair was a mess.

She stood up and tried to walk. Although her feet were kind of numb, she was able to walk slowly. She went out of the room and spotted Syaoran and Sakura, chatting at the table while eating breakfast.

Sakura saw her and said, "Oh! Your highness, I'm so sorry if I didn't wake you up for breakfast. Anyway, have a seat and join us for breakfast."

She stood up and tried to help Tomoyo sit on a vacant chair.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Syaoran asked.

"Well, I have headache and numb feet but other than that, I'm fine." Tomoyo answered cheerfully.

"I wonder how you manage to restore your energy faster. Supposedly, the power you summoned drains your strength." Syaoran is amazed.

"After all, that is my first time to use my power. My mother taught me magic but forbids me to use it." She smiled. "Anyway, what happened to my mom? Is she alright?"

She sighed as Sakura prepare some pancakes for her.

After a month, Tomoyo learned how to live in a poor way and changing her name to Madison but she never gave tantrum on how poor they are now. In fact, she still enjoyed living though there are times where she would just cry about how she misses her mother so much.

Their neighbors also loved her because of her cheerful attitude.

She became a chimney cleaner of the village, along with Sakura and Syaoran. Well, at least they earn for a living. Sakura was really used to doing things like that while Syaoran and Tomoyo both have difficulty for their first time.

Tomoyo's beauty was noticeable even behind the ashes that cover her face. She didn't change after all. Her beautiful face, her sweet smile. All except for her outfit which is really tattered.

One day, they came inside the house, stressed and tired. They just finished cleaning chimneys.

"I could really use some water now." Tomoyo laughed as she soaked her face in a pail of water for seconds and all the ashes that covered her face were rinsed off. The other two were finished rinsing off.

"Well, how much do we earn, Syaoran?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran, who was sitting at the chair, counted all money on the table, said, "Increased by two coins."

Tomoyo and Sakura smiled.

Suddenly, Meilin burst in from the door.

"Meilin, what's the rush?" Sakura asked.

"There's another job. And the income is so high. About eighty coins per day." Meilin said to them with excitement.

"That is ten times our usual income." Syaoran murmured.

"Exactly. Although, the job is quite hard." Meilin suddenly thought and said.

"Tell me, what is it?" Tomoyo asked.

"The personal maid of Prince Eriol resigned this day. They were searching for a new one who would want the job." Meilin explained.

"I like to have the job." Tomoyo bravely answered.

"But, Princess. You never had an experience to the job." Sakura commented.

"It's alright. I had an experience watching you since I was a kid." Tomoyo said with a smile.

"And besides, I also want to spy the prince and I'll make sure, he'll pay for the destruction of our kingdom." Tomoyo added and it looked like nothing can change her mind.

"Don't worry, Sakura. I'll always look after her." Meilin answered.

"Ok, just be careful, Princess." She hugged her tightly.

"Let me help you pack your things." Syaoran said as he took a small bag from the closet and took some of Tomoyo's clothes.

"Arigato." Tomoyo answered with a smile.

--

When they arrived at the palace, Tomoyo was amazed by the palace's structure.

"This is beautiful," she murmured as they enter the House Mistress's office room. "Although a bit gloomy."

"You have to wait here. I have to go since we still have a meeting on the courtroom. The housemistress, Ms. Fiona will be here in any minute." Meilin explained. "Good Luck!" she added as she hugged her tight and rushed outside as a poised woman entered the comfy room.

"Good Morning." She greeted Tomoyo.

"Good Morning." Tomoyo greeted back with a cheerful smile.

"Have a seat." The woman offered to Tomoyo as she sat down to another seat.

"I heard that you want the job as the personal maid of Prince Eriol. What is your name, beautiful lady?" she asked.

"Um. Madison." Tomoyo answered, using her fake name.

"Wonderful name. Call me Madame Fiona, like the other people here." Fiona said with a weak smile but her face suddenly became serious when she said, "Supposedly you knew the Prince's problem."

"No." Tomoyo murmured.

"Oh, ok. No wonder, you took the job. I'll tell you. Prince Eriol has a bad attitude towards maids and servants. That's why no personal maid of him lasted for a month." She explained.

"Well, try me. If I could last for a month." She answered, determined to get the job.

"You really have the guts to have the job even you already knew his attitude?" Ms. Fiona was quite challenged with Tomoyo's attitude.

Tomoyo just smiled.

"Well, then, here is the key to your room. I'll call you later when I'm going to introduce you to our Prince." She concluded as she gave a spare key to Tomoyo.

"Arigato" she thanked the housemistress as she went to her room.

Ms. Fiona went hurriedly to Prince Eriol's room and knocked.

"Come in." Eriol answered. Ms. Fiona went inside.

"Your highness, I have hired a new personal maid of yours." She greeted.

"Very well." He answered. "Introduce her to me now."

"As you wish, your highness." Ms. Fiona bowed and went outside to get Tomoyo and introduced her to the prince.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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	5. 5

RIVALRY TO LOVE

**RIVALRY TO LOVE**

An ET/AU Fanfic

_**Chapter 5: A New Maid on the Palace**_

Tomoyo looked at her room. Well, it's small but comfy indeed. She sat down by the window.

She could see the whole place from it.

"Alluvia sure is a gloomy place." She muttered.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door.

Tomoyo stood up and opened the door. She was surprise indeed that Ms. Fiona was behind the door, looking nervous. She just smiled at her.

"Madison, the prince wants to meet you." Ms Fiona said as she took a deep breath.

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed when he heard the name prince.

"Come on. Follow me, my dear." She said to Tomoyo.

They came up to a big hallway. There is only one door in that hallway.

"Good luck kid." Ms. Fiona whispered in her ears and she left her to the door.

Tomoyo took a deep breath as she knocked on a door but nobody answered it.

"Well, maybe I can come in." she whispered to herself as she opened the door. She was surprised that she saw the prince changing clothes.

Tomoyo covered her eyes, turn her back and shouted "Gomenasai!"

Eriol was also surprised that a woman suddenly went in while he is trying to change clothes. He put back all his clothes and shouted, "Fool! Coming in without confirmation."

Tomoyo noticed that he is finished changing clothes so she faced Eriol.

"Gomenasai. No one answered the door. Well, I thought that it is a confirmation." She answered to him.

He finished changing clothes and he sat on a chair. He motioned his finger, signaling Tomoyo to go in front of him.

"How dare you answer in front of me." he said to him.

Tomoyo flinched in every word he said.

"I thought that my maid now will be different from the others but I guess, I'm wrong. The hired maid now is as stupid as the others." He added as his eyebrow went up, as he looked at Tomoyo.

Tomoyo can't take all what he said. For him to say that other people are stupid just because they are not as rich as him. It hurts. Considering that her bestfriend Sakura is one of the people he says.

"Excuse me, your sire, I'm not as stupid as anyone else coz no one is stupid. Besides, if you consider me just like the other maid you encountered, I am telling you, I am different from them coz I won't tolerate everything you command." She suddenly shouted back at him.

Eriol was shocked to what she said. It's as if she was challenging him. He gave a wicked smile.

"If you couldn't stay here for less than a month, you will be beheaded" he suddenly said. "But if you lasted here for a month, I'm going to obey every command of yours by a month."

Tomoyo smiled, the prince really challenged her.

"Deal." She answered.

"But first, what's your name?" Eriol asked to the maid.

"Uhm, Madison." She lied.

He stared at her with interest. She was not like the other maids.

"And this place is a real mess!" she added as she looked at the place. The place is quite messy. Books were everywhere.

"You could start cleaning if you want." Eriol smirked as he went to the balcony.

Tomoyo started picking up the books when she noticed a book entitled "The Legend of Morroc". She took the book and sat down on the floor and started reading it. Eriol noticed that her maid wasn't cleaning but reading. He went near her and looked at what she was reading.

"You know how to read?" Eriol laughed. As if he saw a joke.

Tomoyo was shocked that the prince is just behind her. She suddenly closed the book and stood and preceded picking up books.

"Yes, your highness. I know how to read books and I am fond of reading one." She answered politely but with grace.

"Whatever, Madison! Just clean this area and get out of my sight!" Eriol said.

It was unusual for a maid to know how to read. Maids are supposed to be stupid according to his belief.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	6. 6

Rivalry To Love

**Rivalry To Love**

_An ET/AU fic_

**Chapter Six: Living in Hell **

"I have to make her life miserable so she can be beheaded." Eriol laughed as he sipped a little from his goblet.

Meilin almost choked to what he said. "Your sire, isn't it quite foolish to go to down to the level of a maid?"

"She's different, Meilin." He explained. "Different from others. She's hard-headed and very commanding."

"Tomoyo, what are you doing?" Meilin thought. "You could kill yourself."

"You know, she has an attitude problem." Eriol added.

"I'm so sorry your Highness." Freiya, the second head mistress of the royal mansion, butted in. "I'll make sure that she will get a punishment for that."

Eriol smiled.

"Could we give her another chance?" Meilin asked. "It's her first time."

"Yes, I think we should reconsider her actions by now." Fiona defended the new maid. "We can give her a warning."

"But Fiona you said that you reminded that maid about my attitude." Eriol answered. "She should have been more polite."

"Your Highness." Freiya said. "Whip or Paddle?"

"Whip." Eriol answered with a smile.

Meilin and Fiona looked at the prince with worry on their face.

--

Tomoyo was kneeling on the ground.

Tears fell from her eyes. She cried as the whip touched her naked back.

"Next time, learn to be more polite." Freiya said in a harsh tone as she whipped Tomoyo's back again. The girl cried again.

Fiona watched the whole scene with a worried expression on her face. Tomoyo's back is filled with small cuts. Some of them were bleeding.

"Freiya, it's enough. For God's sake." Fiona suggested afar.

Freiya stopped and looked back to Fiona. "As a headmistress, we are responsible for her actions."

"She's a child." Fiona pleaded.

"Fine." Freiya said to Fiona and turned her head to the maid. "You should now know the consequences when you don't obey the rules."

Freiya walked out of the room as Fiona approached the new maid. Tomoyo continued to cry.

"My child. Come here." Fiona said as she helped her stand up.

Another maid went in with a basin of water and a piece of cloth. She gave it to the head mistress.

"Madison my dear. Next time, be more polite." Madame Fiona said to the new maid as she put on a damp cloth on Madison's wounds.

"But Madame Fiona you know that we can't tolerate every behavior of his." Madison answered back.

"But he is the one who hired us."

"But-"

"We don't have a choice." Fiona explained. "He is superior. Whether he is good or bad, we have to obey his every command."

Madison rested her head on the head mistress's shoulder as she cried hard.

--

"What?" Sakura was shocked. "A whip?"

Syaoran frowned. "They can't do that to Princess Tomoyo!"

"Calm down." Meilin said. "We really tried our best to minimize her punishment."

Sakura cried.

"Now, now. Sakura, she's fine." Meilin said. "According to Fiona, she's already fine."

--

Tomoyo was mopping the floor slowly when Prince Eriol came in.

"Well, well, well." Prince Eriol provoked. "Not giving up, eh?"

Tomoyo remained silent and continued working.

"I'm talking to you!" He shouted as he threw a bottle of wine on the floor. Tomoyo looked at him. She was shocked.

"Your Highness, I forbade myself on talking to you for I might say something that your ears won't like." Tomoyo said calmly as she dropped the mop on the floor and started picking out the scattered glass.

"Pick up those every glass." He commanded. "Be careful not to get a wound. I don't want my floor to get marred."

Tomoyo remained silent.

Suddenly, Hikku entered the room.

"Hikku, what is it?" Prince Eriol asked.

"Your highness, our army is settled in every corner of the Izlude." Hikku reported. "They're under our control."

Prince Eriol smiled. "Good."

"I see, you've got a new maid." Hikku slowly approached Tomoyo who was still picking out the pieces of glass.

He cupped her chin. "Pretty."

"Now, now. Hikku, if you want a girl tonight. Go to some cabarets around." Prince Eriol laughed. "I don't want you to be intimate on that maid."

"Why not?" Hikku asked as he looked at Tomoyo's eyes.

"She's dumb."

"I love dumb people." Hikku laughed. "Usually, they are the ones who are good in the bed."

Prince Eriol just laughed.

Tomoyo suddenly slapped Hikku.

The two guys froze in their position. Hikku suddenly pulled Tomoyo's hair.

"Next time, learn how to be polite. Remember, my rank is higher than yours." He hissed on Tomoyo's ears. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He immediately let go of her hair. "Well, I have to go. I'll be talking to you in private Your Highness later."

And he walked out.

Prince Eriol looked at the kingdom of Izlude from his balcony. Tomoyo also looked at the scenario. It was her hometown. From afar, Izlude looked just like Alluvia. Gloomy.

"People at that kingdom are so pathetic." Prince Eriol remarked. Tomoyo frowned at his comment.

"They still believe that someday, they will win over us." He continued. "Without a ruler, they are bound to doom."

"What happened to their ruler?" she asked as she placed the shattered glass on a cloth and covered it.

"It's none of your business." He answered. "Continue mopping or I'll mop your face."

She continued mopping while wondering about what he meant by "without a ruler". She wondered what happen to her mother.

--

She went inside the personal library of the prince because she was asked by Fiona to clean the whole room if she has the spare time.

Thousands of books can be seen. Some are in their shelves while others are piled on the corner of the table.

"Hello." A voice came from the above.

She saw an old man on the ladder.

He was a man with a bald head and a long fluffy white beard.

The old man was looking at her intently. "How may I help you?"

She was shocked. She bowed on the old man and said, "I was asked to go here and clean the whole room."

"Who asked you?" he asked as he slowly went down the ladder.

"Madame Fiona." She answered calmly.

"How kind Fiona is." He cackled as he approached her. "She must have overheard from me that this room needs a break from the dust."

She laughed. "That's what she exactly said."

"I am Deirdo, the royal mage of this kingdom." He introduced as he held out his hand. "And may I know the name the young beautiful lady?"

"Madison." She answered as she took his hand and shook it.

"Well, Madison, I warn you. This is a boring place." He laughed. "Only several people appreciate books."

"I'm fond of reading books." She commented.

"Really?" the mage asked. "Quite unusual for a maid to love reading books."

She smiled as she browsed the titles of the books in a certain shelf.

"Utopia." She mumbled. "It means paradise."

"You already read that?"

She nodded as she took out the book from its shelf.

"A very interesting book." He smiled.

"It's one of my favorites." She added.

"It is Prince Eriol's favorite." He smiled. "He already read that for almost a hundred times."

She looked at him. "Really?"

"Her mother really loves to read books." He narrated. "When Prince Eriol was a kid, he would spend most of his time here in the library with her mother."

Tomoyo remembered how she and her mother would also spend some time in the library.

"But when the Queen died, Prince Eriol's passion for books also died." He continued as he watched her browse every page of the book. "Probably because every time he would spend a time here, the more he would miss her mother so much."

"I never thought that he knows how to love." Tomoyo commented. "He's a cold-hearted man."

"Madison, sometimes people became misunderstood because of their experience in life." He defended the prince. "Eriol has gone through hard ones. You can't blame him if he created a barrier between the people and himself. He doesn't want to get hurt again."

"But why is there some people who have gone through hard ones too but they didn't turn out to be cruel just like the prince?" she asked.

"Probably because they still find a hope that not all the people would hurt and leave them." He answered. "You're a different from the others, I must say. Very special indeed. It is rare to find maid who knows a thing or two in books. Oh well, I must be going. Feel free to borrow books you are interested in."

She nodded. "Thank you, Deirdo."

"You're welcome." He greeted a bow and went outside the room.

**To Be Continued**


	7. 7

Rivalry To Love

**Rivalry To Love**

_An ET/AU fic_

**Chapter Seven: Unfold the Mystery of Morroc**

"Sire, your tea is ready."

Prince Eriol was sitting on his leather armchair while reading a thick book with a red hardbound cover. It was entitled "The Legend of Morroc".

"Come in." He ordered as he continued to read the book intently.

Tomoyo slowly opened the entered from the door with a tray of teapot and a teacup. She gracefully placed down the tray on the small table in front of the Prince. The maid was in a good mood for she has learned how to bake a cake – with the help of Madam Fiona.

"Would you like to have a slice of cake too?" She asked politely.

Eriol remained silent.

"Sire, would you like to have a slice of cake?" She repeated but this time, in a louder voice.

"I'm not fond of sweet things, stupid." He answered, not removing his eyes on the content of the book.

"Well, I learned how to bake a cake. Would you like to try it?" Tomoyo asked. "It's nice, actually. With little strawberries on top and –"

"I don't care." Eriol dropped the book on his lap and looked at Tomoyo. "Madison, I don't care."

"Sorry." She said softly.

"Can't you see that I'm busy?"

Tomoyo looked at the book that he's holding. It was the same book she saw when she first entered the room.

"I wonder why he reads that fiction book." Tomoyo thought. She knew that book since she was a young girl. Her mother used to read it to her before she sleeps.

It was a story about a two friends who share interest in adventure and power. They sailed their ship on the east of Deviorn and found a small island called Morroc. In that island, they met a small group of tribe called Mivura which inhabited the area. The Mivuran people worship a sparkling clear gemstone which they call the stone of life. The old king of the tribe uses the stone to heal the illness of the inhabitants and to help the men in farming by making the lands fertile. The two were astonished by the capability of the stone. The two tried to steal the stone. They tried to escape the island of Morroc. As they about to leave the coast, a sudden storm came. The stone of life unexpectedly got out of the man's pocket and floated in the midair. The two was surprised by what happened.

Out of the blue, an unfamiliar voice said angrily, "How dare you take the stone of life for your selfish advantage! From now on, the stone of life will never be in the hands of people again unless two pure individuals in rivalry who possess the power of sunset shall prove to me their worth."

"It was a very nice story." Tomoyo thought. "Very well-written."

Eriol noticed the how the maid intently looked at the book. He remembered that it was the same book he caught her reading while cleaning his room.

"Why are you staring at this book?" He waved the book in front of Tomoyo.

"I've read that book." She answered followed by, "Your sire."

"You're lying. This is an expensive and rare book. You won't afford this." He answered. It is the truth. The book is very rare and only noble people can afford it. Its price is higher than the price of the whole library of Alluvia itself. "Do you know the author of this book?"

"Yes. It was a man named Jiveni who wrote that book hundreds of years ago." Tomoyo answered which horrified the prince.

"How could a maid know that?" Eriol asked himself. "It's weird."

"Would you like me to pour some tea on your cup, your sire?" Tomoyo asked sweetly.

"How do you know that?" The prince asked, ignoring her last question. "How did you know things about this book?

"Uhm –"

She realized what she has said and the consequences if the prince learned the truth. That's she's really not a commoner. And the worse if he found out that she's Tomoyo.

"I lent her a copy your sire." A man from their back answered.

The two looked at his way. It was Deirdo.

"The library has two copies of that book, your sire." He added. "I lent her a copy yesterday."

He asked Tomoyo, "Isn't it very interesting, young lady?"

"Y-Yes, it is." She stuttered.

"Deirdo, are you insane? That is a rare book and you lent it to a maid! You could have given her other books in that library." Eriol said furiously as he stood up from his chair and went near the old man. "Never let someone like her borrow a rare book like this, do you understand me clearly, old man?"

"Forgive me, your highness." Deirdo bowed. "This will never happen again."

"Very good." Eriol said and went near Tomoyo. "And as for you, Madison, stop meddling around. Your job is to serve to me, not to read books."

"Yes, your sire."

"The two of you may go." Eriol said irritably.

The two hurriedly went outside the room and closed the door as Eriol continued to look at his servant.

"She's different." He muttered. "She's a different maid."

--

"Thank you very much, Deirdo." The lady said to the old man.

"I don't know how you've read the book, young lady." Deirdo said. "Did you sneaked inside the library?"

"Oh no, sir." Tomoyo answered.

"Very well. I'll not make inquiries about this matter anymore." The old man bowed to her. "Take care, your highness."

Tomoyo was shocked that the Deirdo called her "your highness".

"Could he possibly know my secret?" She asked herself as she intently watched the old man walk away.


	8. 8

Rivalry To Love

**Rivalry To Love**

_An ET/AU fic_

**Chapter Eight: The Marks from the Confrontation**

"I've already searched him everywhere." Tomoyo sighed as she sat on the grand stairs of the palace. "Even twice in the library."

She felt a thug in her heart.

"_Very well. I'll not make inquiries about this matter anymore." The old man bowed to her. "Take care, your highness."_

"Does he know my secret?" She thought nervously. "If he really knows my secret, I'm in a big, big trouble right now."

"What's the problem, princess?" A voice sprang from her back. The princess looked back and saw Meilin, smiling.

"You look pale." She said worriedly. "Are you sure that you're fine?"

Tomoyo suddenly took Meilin's arm and pulled Syaoran's cousin near the corner of the grand hall.

"What's wrong?" Meilin asked again.

"Do you know Deirdo?" Tomoyo answered the question with a question.

"Yes. He is the royal mage of this kingdom." Meilin stuttered. "Why?"

"I think he knows my secret." Tomoyo whispered. She felt another thug in her heart.

"Are you positive about that?" Meilin nervously asked. "If this is positive, you're in great danger, your highness."

Tomoyo told Meilin what happened yesterday.

"This is bad." Meilin commented. "If you want, you can go home right now. I'll just say to them that you have showcased a very ill manner to me."

"No." She answered back. "I want to continue."

"Are you sure?" Meilin asked.

Tomoyo nodded.

"Sorry princess, I can't say what really happened to your mother." Meilin thought. "Now is not the right time."

"What's wrong with your face?" Tomoyo said as she stared at the royal adviser's face.

"I'm just worried about your safety here." Meilin lied.

"I'm going to look for Deirdo again." Tomoyo smiled. "And probably confront him about this matter."

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Meilin offered.

"No." Tomoyo answered. "I'll be fine."

Meilin took an envelope from her pocket and handed it over to the princess. It was a white envelope sealed with the royal symbol of Alluvia molded in black wax.

"It's from Sakura and Syaoran." Meilin smiled. "Hope it will make you feel better."

"Thank you." Tomoyo smiled again.

"Better not open it here." Meilin reminded. "Just open it in your room."

The maid nodded back happily.

"I shall be going." Meilin cheerfully said. "Prince Eriol's probably waiting for me."

"Eriol." The princess thought.

"_Madison, sometimes people became misunderstood because of their experience in life." He defended the prince. "Eriol has gone through hard ones. You can't blame him if he created a barrier between the people and himself. He doesn't want to get hurt again."_

"Is he really misunderstood?" She muttered to herself.

"Huh?" Meilin asked. "Did you say anything, princess?"

Princess Tomoyo shook her head, "Nothing."

The maid went back to the library again, hoping that she'll find the old man.

She looked at the whole place.

Hundreds of shelves are organized in four columns divided by a path in the middle. Thousands of books are scattered on the side of a table. Most of them involve History. She randomly picked a book from the nearest shelf and looked at its cover.

"These books haven't felt a touch of a human for a long time." She guessed as she looked at the other books as well. "It's as if they're crying."

She walked through the corridors of the library when she suddenly heard the door opened followed by footsteps of probably three to four people.

She quickly hid behind a shelf.

"Hikku, you're sudden burst of temper isn't good."

It was Prince Eriol's voice.

"I'm sorry, you're highness."

She recognized it to be Hikku's voice.

"Meilin, how's the prisoners?" Prince Eriol asked. "Have they told you anything about what we are looking for?"

"No, sire." Meilin answered nervously. "They aren't aware of what we are looking for."

Prince Eriol remained silent.

"Even the royal advisers of Izlude are not familiar with what we are looking for." Meilin continued.

"What are they looking for?" Tomoyo muttered as she listened closely to the conversation. "What could that be?"

"How many Izlude's advisers does our royal army have?" Eriol asked in a calm manner.

"Fourteen." Meilin answered truthfully.

"They're fifteen!" Eriol barked. "Where's the other one?"

"I think I killed him along with the princess." Hikku stuttered.

"Since it's your fault that we don't have any clue about what we are looking for." Prince Eriol raised his voice to Hikku. "You're going to help Meilin in her quest on looking for clues that can lead us to the thing."

"What is that thing?" Tomoyo muttered to herself.

Hikku nodded.

"Do you understand me, Hikku?" Prince Eriol asked.

"Yes, your highness." Hikku answered politely.

"Meilin, I would like to talk with you in private." Prince Eriol said to his another adviser. "We can probably talk about it with a cup of tea."

Meilin bowed at him as he strode across the room and walked out of the door. The lady adviser followed him behind, leaving Hikku in the room.

"Someday, I'll take the throne from you, Eriol." Hikku muttered. "Just wait and you'll see."

A pregnant pause occurred before Tomoyo sneezed very hard.

She was shocked to what she has done. She covered her mouth with both hands.

"Who's that?" Hikku reacted as he approached the side where the sneeze came from me.

Hikku saw the maid, sitting on the floor behind a shelf.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he approached Tomoyo.

Tomoyo looked at him nervously and stuttered, "Just cleaning the library, sire."

Hikku raised his eyebrow while Tomoyo stood up.

"How much of our conversation did you heard?" He confronted.

"Nothing, sire." She answered courteously.

"I don't believe you." He smirked. "I don't believe you, Madison."

He took her arms and tightly twisted it.

"Aw." She cried.

"Tell me what you've heard." Hikku said.

She looked at him. His eyes were wide and bloodcurdling. It was as if he had killed a lot of people with his hands and he wouldn't think twice about killing her too. She felt her heart beating fast.

"Are you going to tell me the truth?" He threatened as he took out his dagger from his pocket side and pointed it to her neck. "What we've discussed is a very confidential matter."

"I -"

"Hikku, what are you doing?" A voice from above asked in a loud thundering voice.

The two looked above and saw the old man, Deirdo, looking at them from the narrow second floor of the library.

"Release her at once." The old man commanded.

"But she heard -"

"If you want to kill someone, do it outside my library." The old man continued. "I don't want my floor to get marred."

"She's lying, Deirdo." Hikku answered back.

"She's not lying." Deirdo defended the maid. "Fiona sent her to help me in cleaning the library."

Hikku looked at Tomoyo with his cold, yellow eyes.

"It's like a snake's eyes."

"The next time I learned that you're meddling with us." He hissed to her ears. "I'll definitely spare no time in thinking whether I'll kill you or not."

"Deirdo." He called the old man. "Next time, please make sure that this girl isn't interfering around."

Deirdo remained silent as he watched the man walked out of the room. Hikku walked out of the room in a very bad mood and banged the door. Tomoyo looked at her arms. Purplish spots emerged from her skin.

"Young lady, what are you doing here?" The old man said as he went down the stairs and approached the maid. "You could have killed yourself."

Tomoyo remained silent. She was completely petrified to what happened earlier.

"It's a good thing and I saw the both of you." He added. "What are you doing here, by the way?"

"I'm actually looking for you." Tomoyo answered timidly.

"How can I help you, young lady?" He asked in a very intellectual manner as he scanned each book on the nearest shelf.

Tomoyo didn't know how she will start the confrontation but felt an urge to continue.

"It's about what you've said yesterday?" She started.

Deirdo looked at her with a spark of interest. "What about I said yesterday, young lady?"

"You called me _your highness_." Tomoyo asked bravely. "Why?"

"Did I?" Deirdo chuckled.

"Yes." Tomoyo seriously said.

"I don't remember calling you _your highness_, young lady." He corrected.

"Really?" She reassured.

"But if you want me to call you that." He continued to chuckle. "I'll do it so."

"No." The princess answered. "You don't have to."

The old man continued to chuckle. His laughter echoed across the room.

"Probably, I said that because you exude a different kind of air." He said while laughing. "Very royal-like."

Tomoyo felt a relief.

"I would like to thank you for saving me again." She said in a courteous manner.

The old man chortled. "I learned from Fiona that you bake very well. In exchange, I would like to have a slice of your cake."

"I'll bring you a slice or two tomorrow." She answered. "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome, young lady." He smiled.

**To Be Continued**


End file.
